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Routing the mortises rather than cleaning them out by hand tantly, produces mortises of consistent depth more imporsaves time but with much less effort. The author takes the bit up to, but does not touch the incised line. Trimming the veneer inlays to fit won't take long if the pattern lines are very fine and the cuts are accurate. Some will fit perfectly without any trimming; some will need just a little sanding; and some will require hairline cuts. A steady hand will save a lot Of frustration later. A fence clamped to the the drill-press table ensures alignment of the holes along the straight sections of the pattern. About two-thirds of the holes can be drilled using the fence; the remaining holes along the curves must be done freehand. Once you've made your photocopies, the next step is to glue one of tl1em to your previously thicknessed stock. I use a homemade PVC roller to get a thin, even coat of glue on the wood. After placing the paper pattern on the stock, use a dry roller to flatten the pattern. Make sure you've eliminated any air bubbles, and be careful not to roll the pattern excessively because that can stretch tl1e paper. When the glue has dried, number each of the 24 segments on all photocopies. The numbers 6 and 9 should be underlined to alleviate confusion later. Now, cut out each of the 24 paper segments-slightly oversize- /'28 in. thick. I don't recommend using thinner veneers because they are more difficult to work with than thicker veneers, and from the second photocopy. Then glue each paper segment to a piece of veneer, also slightly oversize. I use veneers that are you're much more liable to sand through them. Again, use a thin 90 Fine Woodworking coat of glue between the paper pattern and the wood veneer. Allow overnight drying of glued patterns before proceeding. Cu ttin g mortises and fittin g inlays I use a sharp, #11 X-Acto blade to cut the outline of each playingboard section to be mortised. To ensure accurate cuts, I make the first cut with just enough pressure to cut through the paper and lightly score the wood, taking care to keep my cuts at 90° to the surface of the board. This creates a groove that will guide successive cuts of increasing pressure. I also cut each line from both ends to produce sharp corners. Cutting the lines deeper than the thickness of the veneer will make the removal of waste wood easier. The fit of each inlay will depend on how closely you followed the layout lines on the patterns, so go slowly and use care. Also, keep the knife blade sharp, and work with good lighting.